The above-referenced invention relates to vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and more specifically to ventilation valves controlling airflow within a vehicle HVAC system.
Vehicle ventilation systems have long been utilized in vehicles to provide comfort to the vehicle occupants. Initial ventilation systems comprised a simple duct that was opened or closed by a manually operated valve directing outside ambient air to the vehicle interior. Through the years, consumers have desired increased interior comfort and manufacturers have delivered systems to satisfy consumer demand for improved interior temperature control. Advances made over the years include directing air over a heated core for delivering hot air to the vehicle interior and also for delivering hot air to the windshield to keep the windshield clear of frost and moisture. Subsequently, air conditioners have also become commonplace accessories in vehicles to provide cool air for the comfort of passengers in summer""s heat.
Heating ventilation and air conditioning systems in today""s vehicles now provide total interior climate control. These new systems automatically maintain a desired temperature by delivering an appropriate mix of heated, ambient, and cooled air to the vehicle interior. More advanced systems also permit occupants to select a desired temperature for their individual zones and automatically maintain these zones at the pre-selected temperature. Such operation necessarily requires the use and operation of multiple valves and ducts to achieve the desired operation of the vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
While the sophistication and complexity of heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for vehicles has steadily increased, the design of valves utilized in HVAC systems has remained relatively unchanged throughout the years. Vehicle HVAC modules now include a number of separate valves that have been automated through the use of various types of actuators mounted exteriorly to the HVAC module and either connected to the valve directly or with mechanical linkages such as gears, push rods, or mechanical arms. Typically, these valves are hinged doors and activation of the actuator causes the valve door to rotate about the hinge between an opened and closed position. This type of valve design necessarily requires that the valves connect to their respective actuating mechanisms through the HVAC module case. Consequently, these valves require space for unimpeded rotation of the door about the hinge in addition to the space required on the exterior of the HVAC module for the valve actuator and actuating mechanisms. System space in a vehicle is now at a premium with an ever-increasing demand to reduce the volume and cost required for individual systems. Additionally, the valves and actuators, and the necessary linkage therebetween, must be independently assembled to the HVAC system and thus become labor intensive in an era where labor is increasingly expensive and thus desirable to minimize. Furthermore, ventilation valves having exteriorly mounted actuators and interconnecting mechanical linkages extending through the module case permit leakage of air from the module as well as produce objectionable noises to the vehicle occupants. Such noises tend to detract and annoy the occupants as well as fostering a perception of decreased quality.
Thus, there is a need for a ventilation valve for use in vehicle heating ventilation and air conditioning systems that is cost efficient, quiet, and requires a minimum volume for operation.
One aspect of the present invention is a motorized valve assembly for use in a vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning module. The motorized valve assembly comprises a valve having at least one flap and is pivotable about a pivot axis. A drive unit is affixed to the valve, and a drive interface is operably connected to the drive unit for inducing a pivoting force about the pivot axis.
Another aspect of the present invention is an improved heating, ventilation, and air conditioning module for a vehicle. The module being of the type having a housing defining at least one air outlet therefrom, and at least one valve assembly pivotally mounted for opening and closing the air outlet. The improvement comprises a motorized valve assembly wherein the housing defines first and second pivot recesses on opposite sides of said at least one air outlet and wherein the motorized valve assembly comprises a valve having at least one flap and is pivotable about a pivot axis. A first pivot is positioned at a first end of the valve and is received in the first pivot recess, and a second pivot is positioned at a second end of the valve and is received in the second pivot recess. The first pivot and the second pivot are aligned along the pivot axis. A drive unit is affixed to the valve, and a drive interface is operably connected to the drive unit for inducing a pivoting force about the pivot axis to pivot the valve assembly between an open and a closed position.